Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases: comparative study of hepatocellular carcinoma versus cirrhosis.

Increasing evidence has indicated that perturbation of cyclins is one of the major factors leading to cancer. The aim of this study was not only to investigate various cell cycle-related kinase activities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but also to analyze the difference of cell cycle-related kinase activity levels between hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced HCC and HCV-induced cirrhosis. The protein levels of cyclins D1, E, A, and H, and of cyclin dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), Cdk2, Cdk4, Cdk6, and Cdk7 in HCC and in surrounding nontumorous cirrhosis were determined by Western blot.

Oxygenation abnormalities in normoxemic patients with mild liver cirrhosis.

Objective: Nitric oxide (NO) production is enhanced in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Although most patients with mild LC have neither dyspnea nor platypnea, they might have mild oxygenation abnormalities due to intrapulmonary vasodilatation caused by increased NO. We investigated whether oxygenation abnormalities, such as hypoxemia and orthodeoxia, are present in patients with mild LC.